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' L. L. GUBBBDGE. 1 AUTOMATIC ALARM FOR PROTECTING CROPS, &c.

No. 606,517. Patented June 28,1898.

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L. L. OUBBEDGE. AUTOMATIC ALARM FOR PROTECTING CROPS, 8w.

Patented June 28, 1898.

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LAURENCE L. CUBBEDGE, OF GUYTON, GEORGIA.

AUTQMATHC ALARM FOR PROTECTING CROPS, 8pc

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,517, dated June 28,1898.

Application filed September 8,1897. Serial 6 1 N mode T0 at whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE-=L. CUB- BEDGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Guytom'Effingham county, Georgia,

have invented a new and useful Automatic Alarm for Protecting Crops,&c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic alarms, and more particularly toalarms adapted to be used in open fields for the purpose of protectingcrops from birds, rabbits, &c., by automatic discharge of smallquantities of an explosive material, such as gunpowder, at predeterminedintervals.

The objects of my invention are to provide an apparatus of the characterdefined which will effectually perform its intended function withoutintcrruptionson account of wind and rain; to provide means for settingthe mechanism and starting it in motion, so that the discharge may becommenced automatically at any given desired interval of time after thedevice is set in motion, thereby enabling the operator to set thedeviceat any convenient time of the day and permit a suitable interval of timeto elapse before the explosions or discharges commence; to provide adevice of the character described which will be portable, durable, andeffective in action andat the same time capable of economicconstruction, while comprising the smallest number of parts so arrangedthat they may be quickly and readily assembled and taken apart oradjusted, and, finally, to provide a device of this character whichshall be self-contained and so constructed as to minimize the shock dueto the concussion following the explosions.

With these general objects in view my invention consists, essentially,in a plurality of barrels or explosive-chambers adapted to con tainexplosive charges provided with fuses and means arranged to operatecontinuously for successively igniting the said fuses, and in mechanismfor guarding any given'number of fuses against ignition, whereby theapparatus may be set in operation at a suitable interval of time inadvance of the time when it is desired that the discharges shall begin;and

my invention further consists in the novel construction and details ofparts, as hereinafter described ,and more particularly pointed out inthe claims, with reference to the accom panyin g drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a central vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal transverse section taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is asimilar view to Fig. 2, showing the igniting device in the act ofexploding its first charge, the f use-guard being released. Fig. i is acentral vertical section of the same.

Referring now to the drawings, in which the same reference-lettersrelate to the same parts in all the views, A indicates a suitablesupporting-base, preferably of wood, circular in cross-section, providedwith a central recess or bore 0, closed at the bottom bya sheetmetalplate a,upon which base-piece is mounted an upper foundation-block B,preferably circular in shape, centrally bored or recessed, to whichblock is firmly secured a plurality of gun-barrels or powder-chambers E,which barrels are preferably seated in grooves formed in the upper faceof the block and secured in position by staples s, the said barrelsbeing arranged at equal intervals radially around the central bore orrecess in the block, with the breeches of said barrels in alinement withthe said bore.

The bottom block or base-piece A and the upper block B are securedtogether by suitable means, such as bolts 1), passing upwardly throughthe two blocks and provided with n uts on their upper screw-threadedends. I have shown the supporting-base of the ap paratus thus made inthe two pieces A and B for the reason that thedevice can be the moreconveniently handled and the different removable parts constituting theoperating mechanism can be the more quickly and easily assembled,adjusted, or disassembled; but I wish it understood that this base maybe made in one piece of any suitable material without materiallydeparting from the essence of my invention.

Mounted in the central bore of the block A is a tubular shell or casingG, provided 011 its outer periphery with a series of plate-brackets (1,which rest in' contact with theupper face of the block 13, therebyfirmly supporting the said casing. Slidablymounted inside of said casingG is a sleeve H, having a flanged top resting on a metal ring Q, placedinside of the casing G, opposite the breeches of the barrels, said ringthus serving to partially absorb the concussion or shock due to thedischarge of the barrels. Inside of the sleeve II is a second sleeve 1,having a flanged top adapted to rest upon the flange of the sleeve II.

Substantially in line with the vents of the barrels are perforations inthe casing G, through each of which perforations extends a suitable fuse1;, leading from the powderchamber V of each barrel, the loose end ofsaid fuse passing over or through a similar perforation in the sleeve Iand hanging downwardly within said sleeve between the fuseguard plates25, secured at regular intervals on the inside of said sleeve I. By thisarrangement each fuse is confined between two guardplates, so that saidfuse cannot be ignited until the igniting device reaches a point betweentwo adjacent guard-plates.

Mounted in the recess or bore 0 of the block A is a suitable clockmechanism confined within a casing L, which clockwork may be wound by ashaft h, passing through one side of the block A and having a crank-keyi, or, if desired, said clock mechanism maybe wound by means of anordinary key through a hole O in the bottom a, which hole 0 also servesto admit a limited amount of air upwardly through the bore 0, thusassisting the draft for the igniting-flame hereinafter described.

Any suitable clock mechanism may be used, and inasmuch as this forms nopart of my invention I do not deem it necessary to show such mechanismin detail. Attached to the hour-shaft cl of said clock mechanism by anysuitable means, such as plate j, is a suitable lamp D, having afilling-opening e for oil and a burner f, the flame from which burner isadapted to pass successively between the several guard-plates t andignite the fuses c as the lamp is rotated by the clock mechanism.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that asthe lamp rotatesthe flame comes in contact successively with the fuses, igniting thesame, and thereby exploding the charges V, held in place by suitablewads y in each barrel. Asshown in the. drawings, the explosions willtake place at intervals of one hour, since there are twelve barrels, andeach revolution of the lamp will be effected in twelve hours; but it isto be understood that the number of barrels may be changed, j asdesired, and the predetermined intervals between successive explosionsbe likewise varied, as desired.

In order to enable the user to set the mechanism in motion at anydesired time preceding that when the first explosion is desired,

I provide a suitable fuse guard mechanism which may be so adjusted thatthe lamp can be set in motion and the apparatus placed in properposition and a suitable time elapse before the first discharge takesplace, after which the other discharges will follow at regularintervals. In the drawings I have shown a convenient mechanism foreffecting this pu rpose, said mechanism consisting of a semicircularguard-plate Z, preferably made of asbestos or tin lined with asbestosand slidably mounted in grooved ways a, formed on two of the ordinaryfuse-guards 25, extended a suitable distance upward, which plate issupported by aspring 2, connected to a rod 19, which rod is fixed to acollar x, mounted on the casing G. Near one end of the lower edge of thesaid movable f use-guard is a perforation t, through which one of thefuses c is passed and secured, the said fuse being the one that isdesired to effect the first discharge.

In order to guard the other fuses, preceding the one mentioned, fromignition, the guard Z is drawn downward, and the fuse, passing throughthe perforation t, is tied in the said perforation or otherwise suitablysecured therein, the loose end hanging down inside the said guard-plate,while the other fuses are confined between the outer periphery of saidguard and the sleeve I, thus protecting them from the fiame f as thelatter rotates in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 2 and 3.

If, for example, it is desired to set the mechanism so that thedischarge will begin five hours after the device is set in motion, theclock mechanism will be wound and the lamp lighted and started, with theburner opposite the first fuse covered by the guard, and in five hoursthe flame will have reached the other end of the guard, igniting thefuse projecting through the perforation t, as seen in Fig. 3, theburning of the said fuse releasing the guard, which, under the action ofthe tension-spring 2, will be raised above the fuses, leaving themunprotected and in the path of the moving flame, as seen in Fig. 4, thefirst explosion taking place at the same time and successive explosionsoccurring at hourly intervals.

It is to be understood that different sizes of guards may be used,according to the number of fuses it is desired to be covered by theguard, depending on the length of time it is desired shall elapsebetween the time the apparatus is adjusted and the time at which it isdesired the firing shall commence, or, as in the case shown in thedrawings, the flame may be started nearer the first barrel to bedischarged, whereby the time elapsed will be correspondingly diminished.i

In order to protect the apparatus from wind and rain, I preferablyprovide an upwardlyextending casing XV, provided with a'fiange 10,having projecting lips through which the bolts 1) pass, having nuts ontheir upper ends, which bolts and nuts secure said lips to the block B,the flange w resting on the tops of the barrels,thereby leaving openingsbetween the block B and the flange, through which the air may enter andpass upwardly, and mounted on the casing G is a removable chimney Y, thelower end of which is seated on the collar 00, and secured to the top ofsaid chimney is ahood F, having conical perforated top and cylindricalbody and above the opening of which hood is a protecting-cowl f, by

.the casing G, I find that the tendency of the concussion to extinguishthe fiameis obviated, and by using the hood F, with its sidesoverhanging and overlapping the protecting-casing NV, efiective means ofkeeping out rain are secured, While the upward draft of air between theWalls of the hood and the chimney aids the central draft of the lamp topromote combustion without incurring the danger of extinguishing theflame, the latter being Well protected against any strong draft tendingto extinguish it.

It should be noted that by causing the continuously burning ignitingdevice to rotate in contact With the fuses a more economical andeffective apparatus is provided, since the igniting device, such as alamp, is so much lighter in Weight than the base-block and the barrelscarried thereby, thus enabling the use of much simpler and cheapermechanism for rotating the movable part, and I therefore prefer to givethe motion of rotation to the lamp or other igniting means rather thanto the barrel-supportingstructure; and, furth ermore, it is found thatin practical operation a flame is more reliable as a means of ignitin gfuses connected With the explosive-chambers than friction or percussionprimers, as prepared in some alarmsparticularly burglar-alarms\vithwhich I am familiar, and,

moreover, such flame is simpler and less expensive than other ignitingdevices known I to me.

' lVhileI prefer the barrel-mounting to be of substantially circularshape, beeausel have found it to be the most effective in absorbing therecoil due to concussion, my invention is not necessarily limited tothis shape, and While I prefer to make the base-blocks of Wood anysuitable material may be used, as these and other details may be alteredWithout departing from the main features of my invention.

WVhile my invention is specially adapted for protecting crops, it may beused for other purposes as Well, such as for flushing birds, 85C.

I claim as my invention- 1. An automatic alarm for protecting crops &e.,consisting of a plurality of barrels adapted to be charged withexplosive material, and arranged at intervals on a suitable base orsupport having a central bore or recess, fuses extending from thecharges in said barrels into said bore or recess, and an igniting device arranged in said bore to ignite each fuse in succession.

2. An automatic alarm for protecting crops, &c., consisting of aplurality of barrels each adapted to contain an explosive charge andarranged at intervals upon a stationary base, a movingcontinuously-burning igniting device adapted to ignite the charges insaid barrels in succession.

3. An automatic alarm for protecting crops, &c., consisting of aplurality of barrels adapted to contain explosive charges arranged atintervals on a circular base having a central bore or recess, fusesextending from said charges into the said central bore, and a rotatingigniting device in said bore adapted to ignite the fuses in succession.

4:. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination of acircular supporting-base having a central bore or recess, a plurality ofbarrels radially arranged at intervals around said bore or recess, fusesextending from the charges into said bore or recess, a lamp rotatablymounted in said bore or recess, and mechanism for continuously rotatingsaid lamp so as to cause the flame thereof to ignite the fuses insuccession at predetermined intervals.

5. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination Witha supportingbase having a central bore, of a plurality of barrelsadapted to contain explosive charges radially mounted around said here,fuses extending from the charges into said bore, a series ofguard-plates between adjacent fuses, and an igniting mechanism adaptedto move in contact with the fuses in succession, substantially asspecified.

6. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination of asupporting-base having a central bore, of a plurality of barrels adaptedto contain explosive charges, fuses extending from said charges into thecentral bore, guards separating said fuses from one another, an ignitingdevice with means for moving the same into contact with the fuses insuccession, and means for covering one or more of said fuses to preventignition, substantially as described.

7. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination Witha supportingbase having a central bore, of a series of barrels adaptedto contain explosive charges radially arranged around said bore, fusesextending from the charges into the central bore, guards betweenadjacent fuses, an igniting device rotatably mounted in saidbore andadapted to ignite the fuses in succession, means for continuouslyrotating said igniting device, a movable guard adapted to cover one ormore of said fuses to prevent ignition, and

. means for raising said guard after a predetermined interval of time,substantially as described.

. 8. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined the combination of aseries of barrels adapted to contain charges of explosive material,fuses leading from said charges, continuouslyburning igniting mechanismfor igniting the fuses in succession at predetermined intervals, andmeans for covering one or more of said fuses and preventing thecommencement of explosion until a given time has elapsed after thedevice is setin motion.

9. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination witha supportingbase having a central bore, of a series of barrels adaptedto contain explosive charges radially arranged around said bore, fusesextending from the charges into the bore, an igniting device rotatablymounted in said bore, and adapted to ignite the fuses in succession, amovable guard-plate covering one or more of the fuses and having aperforation therein through which a fuse may be inserted and being inthe path of the igniting device, and means for moving said plate whensaid fuse is ignited, whereby the apparatus may be set in motion and theexplosions begun at a predetermined time, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the barrels adapted to contain explosivecharges, the supporting-base therefor having a central bore, of a shellor sleeve in said bore provided with perforations through which thefuses extend into the casing, a fuse guard-plate slidably mounted in theshell and adapted to cover one or more of the fuses, said plate beingprovided with a perforation through which a fuse extends and is secured,a rotating i gniting device adapted to ignite said fuse and release theplate, substantially as specified.

11. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination witha supportingbase having a central bore, of a series of barrels adaptedto contain explosive charges arranged around said bore, a casing fittedin said bore provided with perforations opposite each barrel, fusesextending from the charges through said perforations, a lamp forigniting said fuses in succession, a separable chimney mounted on thecasing, substantially as described.

12. In an automatic alarm for the purposes defined, the combination witha supportingbase havinga central bore, of a series of barrels adapted tocontain explosive charges arranged around said bore, a casing fittingsaid bore and extending some distance above the barrels, fuses extendingfrom the charges through perforations in said casing into the bore, alamp for automatically igniting said fuses in succession, a chimneyremovably mounted on the casing, and a hood having a depending bodyarranged to cover and protect the operating parts.

13. In an automatic alarm, the combination with the supporting-base, thebarrels adapted to contain explosive charges, fuses leading from saidcharges, mechanism mounted in said basefor igniting the fuses insuccession, a shell extending above the base, a casing mounted on thebase and surrounding said shell, and a hood overlapping said shell andcasing and covering the operating mechanism substantially as described.

14:. In an automatic alarm, the combination with a lower base-blockhaving a central bore, an igniting device rotatably mounted therein, anupper block having a corresponding bore removably secured to saidbase-block, of a" tending from the charges through perforations in saidcasing, a sleeve located within the casing and over or through theperforations in which the fuses pass, guard-plates separating saidfuses, a lamp rotatably mounted in the bore below the fuses, andmechanism for rotating said lamp, substantially as described.

16. In an automatic alarm, the combination with the supporting-basehaving a central bore, a tubular casing mounted in said bore andextending above the base, a series of barrels adapted to containexplosive charges radially arranged around said casing; fuses extendingfrom the charges through perforations in said casing, a sleeve locatedwithin the casing and over or through the perforations in which thefuses pass, guard-plates supporting said fuses, a lamp rotatably mountedin the bore below the fuses, and mechanism for rotating said lamp, and aspring-actuated fuse guard-plate slidably mounted on the sleeve adaptedto cover one or more of the fuses to prevent ignition until apredetermined time has elapsed after the lamp begins to rotate,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LAURENCE I1. CUBE-EDGE.

Witnesses:

IV. A. SUDA, A. B. LONG.

